In football, elegance often goes hand in hand with arrogance. And it makes sense: the most elegant players do what they do with as little noticeable effort and strain as possible.
Not always. Iniesta is currently one of the most elegant players and he doesnt seem to have arrogance.
Zidane, Berbatov, Rosicky, Kaka, Veron, Riquelme, Ronaldinho, Totti, Baggio, Pirlo, Michael Laudrup, Bergkamp...Ferdinand, Nesta, Chivu... Some players such as Ronaldinho (when running) move awkwardly, but NOT mechanically. If they are great players, you tend to view them as elegant over time as you become used to their style of play.
This great generation of Peruvian players of the 70's (to which Cueto belonged) was the undoubtedly the best of South America after Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay (up to the 50's). Cubillas, Chumpitaz, Sotil, Baylón, Challe, Perico León, Oblitas, Velazquez etc etc, they all played world-class football with the maximum of elegance.
Ibrahım Yattara is the best I've ever seen...He beat R.carlos Just Watch him.. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42tj8re7A60[/ame]
Yeah, From what I saw in the clip (didn't know him) Yattara is very good. Certainly if he played in top European teams during his career (he is now close to 29 yo) he'd be today a world-recognized star. Sure he staged a convincing 'carnival' on top of our RC ... However, RC has been tying those shoes strings since 2006 and doesn't serve as a standard player anymore ...
Riquelme & Zidane. Two of the best 10's I've ever seen. Elegant but also true football artist's, something rarely in today's football world.
I consider that Zidane was the most elegant player. Although he wasn't the best footballer of the history he was magic in everyball he touched.
Zidane and Ronaldinho for sure, Zico is up there as well. But Ronaldinho is th most elegant player, only because he is so easy to watch perform. Really makes everything look so simple, and never will look upset on the pitch.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0DWIom6tXo&feature=related"]YouTube - Ronaldinho ~ The Magician ~[/ame]
Nice to see Paulo Roberto Falcão, the King of Rome, together in a thread with one who's considered by some young people as ALL-time's greatest player, Zinedine Zidane. Always have seen the second as a not such improved first. But, although achieving with Roma something like Maradona got later with Napoli, those times were of Platini, very elegant as well, not of the Brazilian (Rummenigge, more of a quick talented striker, was above him and Zico, as far as I can remember, as a contester for Serie A greatest). Were 90s a golden era? Maybe as much as people go to a video shop to rent NEW releases instead of GOOD movies...
Must go to a remark on Teófilo Cubillas, one of his outstanding abilities was also elegance, I guess. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YUsyxZ6afo"]YouTube - Teófilo Cubillas, el dios Inti del Perú (PEPELOTAS)[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrX516G6sGw"]YouTube - A Bailar Marinera!!![/ame]
Cool, composed, skillful performance under the highest pressure. The elegant player seems to make the game slow down, and without apparent effort. Similar to watching a shark glide through the water, the elegant player seems ideally matched to their environment. ...and we sit back in awe.
I think Messi is more elegant than Ronaldinho. i think that elegant players are those who didnt need to be strenght to play. Zidane, Falcão, Zico, Gerson, Messi, Maradona, Plantini...
looking at the clips Cesar Cueto is definetly elegant, most peruvian midfielders from his era I guess could be called elegant but he stood out
I looked up who Socrates was, turns out his name is: Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira Holy shit.